New synonymy in the genus Polytes Stal (Heteroptera: Scutelleridae)
Author
Eger J. E.
text
Florida Entomologist
1994
77
3
376
378
journal article
10.2307/3496108
12707419
Polytes speculiger
Breddin 1914
12(11). Head broadly rounded anteriorly............................................................. 12’
Head narrowly rounded anteriorly...........................................................13
12’(12). Pronotum with two large yellow to red macules, each with distinct brown to black lanceolate intrusion from posterior margin; larger, 9.5-10.9 long
.............................................................................................
P. ruth (Breddin)
Pronotum with four evenly spaced macules; smaller, 8.9 long....................
......................................................................................
P. discrepans (Uhler)
Polytes speculiger
Breddin 1914:53-54
.
Polytes quechuus
Eger 1990:137-139
, figs. 104-109.
New Synonymy.
I overlooked Breddin’s paper when researching the
Polytes
revision. His description clearly indicates the presence of an impunctate area on the pronotum, a diagnostic character for this species, and leaves little doubt that my species is a junior synonym of his. I have not been able to locate Breddin’s
types
although one of the
paratypes
of
P. quechuus
was a
syntype
of
P. fenestra
Breddin, 1903
, and was certainly seen by him. It bore no labeling to indicate that it was a
type
of
P
.
speculiger
, though. Breddin also described two varieties (as ‘var. a’ and ‘var. b’) and suggested that these may be synonymous with
P. bicolor
and
P. leopardinus
. The color forms he described were also seen by me and are apparently typical for
P. speculiger
.